Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 800 - Environmental Protection - Water Supply
Chapter NR 812 - Well Construction And Pump Installation
Subchapter II - New Water Well and Heat Exchange Drillhole Construction and Reconstruction and Filling and Sealing of Wells and Drillholes
Section NR 812.17 - Well casing and heat exchange pipe, liner pipe and materials

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง NR 812.17

Current through August 26, 2024

(1) GENERAL. Well and heat exchange drillhole casing pipe, heat exchange loop pipe, and liner pipe shall be new, unused, and nonreclaimed pipe except as specified in s. NR 812.26(5). The pipe shall meet ASTM or API standards and shall also meet the following requirements:

(a) Temporary casing. Temporary casing pipe for all wells and heat exchange drillholes, or well casing pipe greater than 12-inch diameter used for nonpotable wells may be a lighter weight steel pipe than specified for a given diameter in Table V. Pipe for nonpotable wells greater than 12-inch diameter shall have a minimum wall thickness of at least 0.250 inches and be able to withstand the structural stress imposed by construction conditions. Thermoplastic pipe meeting the minimum requirements of sub. (3) may be used for temporary casing for heat exchange drillholes in caving formations.

(b) Pipe for liners. Liner pipe installed solely to seal off a caving or sloughing zone in a well or heat exchange drillhole shall be new, unused and nonreclaimed steel or thermoplastic pipe. Steel pipe shall also meet the specifications of Table V except that it may have a lesser wall thickness than what is required in Table V for the diameter of pipe used. Steel pipe for such liners shall have a minimum wall thickness of 0.216 inches. The pipe may have the largest practical diameter allowing installation in the well. When thermoplastic pipe is used for such liners, it shall meet the minimum requirements of sub. (3). Liner pipe used in all other situations shall meet the specifications in Table V for steel pipe or the requirements of sub. (3), and the cement grout annular space seal thickness for thermoplastic pipe may not exceed 1-1/2 inches. For the requirements for the installation of liner pipe see s. NR 812.21.

(c) Diameter uniformity. Within any separate string of well casing pipe, all lengths of pipe used shall be of the same diameter.

(2) STEEL WELL CASING PIPE.

(a) Specifications. Steel well casing pipe shall have the dimensions and weights specified in Table V except as exempted in sub. (1) (a) and (b). ASTM A 120 pipe may not be used. Well casing pipe used in initial well construction or liner pipe used for reconstruction of a well with water containing contaminant levels exceeding the drinking water standards in s. NR 812.06 shall be new steel pipe meeting one of the following standards:
1. ASTM A 53;

2. ASTM A 106;

Note: The ASTM specification for A 120 well casing pipe was withdrawn in 1987.

3. ASTM A 589-Type I, Grade A or B-Type II, Grade A, Type III-driven well pipe;

4. API 5CT;

5. API 5D; or

6. API 5L.

(b) Water well driller, heat exchange driller; well constructor responsibilities. Well and heat exchange drillers and well constructors may not use unmarked or inadequately marked well or heat exchange drillhole casing pipe for permanent well or heat exchange drillhole casing pipe. It is the well and heat exchange driller's or well constructor's responsibility to use well casing pipe that meets the requirements of this chapter. The well and heat exchange driller or well constructor shall examine all shipments of well or heat exchange drillhole casing pipe received and shall reject any defective length of pipe and return it to the manufacturer or supplier. When the well and heat exchange drillhole casing pipe or the pipe markings are of questionable condition, the well and heat exchange driller or well constructor shall supply the department with the manufacturer's mill certification papers listing the pipe specifications including the heat numbers.

(c) Defective pipe. Well and heat exchange drillhole casing or heat exchange loop pipe may be inspected by the department. Any defective length may be rejected by the department and may not be used in well construction. Reject pipe may include:
1. Pipe with girth welded joints;

2. Pipe with welded patches;

3. Pipe not conforming to the marking requirements of par. (d);

4. Pipe with defects, such as cracks, open welds, partial or incomplete welds, open seams, laminations in pipe wall which exceed 12-1/2% of wall thickness, or slivers which exceed 12-1/2% of wall thickness.

5. Pipe with coatings containing contaminants on the inside of the pipe.

6. Pipe with heavy coatings of paint on the outside of the pipe.

(d) Marking requirements. Each length of well casing pipe 2 inches or larger in diameter shall meet the requirements in Table V and shall be legibly marked in conformance with the ASTM or API marking specifications including color identification in the form of bands. Except where identified in this subdivision, each length of pipe shall show the manufacturer's name or trademark; ASTM marking or API monogram, specification number and grade; diameter in inches; wall thickness or weight in pounds per foot; whether seamless or welded and type of weld. Specific well casing pipe marking requirements are as follows:
1. ASTM A 53: manufacturer's name or mark; ASTM designation, specification number and grade; process of manufacture, continuous welded (type F), electric-resistance-welded A, electric-resistance-welded B, seamless, or seamless B, XS for extra strong, XXS for double extra strong.

2. ASTM A 106: manufacturer's name or mark; ASTM designation and specification number; schedule number; hydrostatic test pressure when tested, the letters "NH" when not tested; symbol "S" if the section of pipe conforms to the supplementary requirements for chemical composition, transverse tension and flattening tests and metal structure and etching tests; weight of pipe if pipe is greater than 4 inches in diameter.

3. ASTM A 589: manufacturer's name or mark; ASTM designation, specification number and grade; wall thickness; nominal or outside diameter; process of manufacture, butt-welded, electric-resistance-welded, or seamless; grade, for Type I-Drive Pipe; type number, Type I-Drive Pipe, Type II-Water-Well Reamed and Drifted Pipe, Type III-Driven Well Pipe.

4. API 5A, API 5AX, API 5L and API 5LX: manufacturer's name or mark; API monogram and specification; size, outside diameter; weight per foot; grade of pipe; process of manufacture, S for seamless, E for electric weld, and F for butt weld pipe; hydrostatic test pressure.

5. API 5D: manufacturer's name or mark; API specification; Compatible standards; Unfinished pipe (UF), if plain-end; Size and weight designation; Grade.

6. API 5L: manufacturer's name or mark; API specification; Compatible standards; Size and weight designation; Grade; Process of manufacture, S for seamless, E for electric weld, F for continuous-weld pipe; Heat treatment symbol; Hydrostatic test pressure, if higher than standard pressure.

7. API 5CT: manufacturer's name or mark; API specification; Compatible Standards; Unfinished pipe (UF), if plain-end; Size and weight designation; Grade; Process of manufacture; Test pressure; Type of thread (if used); Heat treatment.

Note: The listed ASTM and API specifications are available for inspection at the offices of the department of natural resources, the secretary of state, and the legislative reference bureau and may be obtained for personal use from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 and the American Petroleum Institute, Publication and Distribution Section, 1220 L Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20005.

(e) Assembly and installation. When steel well casing pipe is driven or installed it shall be accomplished in a manner such that injury to the well casing pipe does not result which may affect the quality of the water supply. Steel well casing pipe shall be assembled watertight by correctly mated, recessed type couplings having the weights and diameters as listed in Table V or by means of joints welded in accordance with the specifications in the American Welding Society manual, AWS D10.12-89, "Recommended Practices and Procedures for Welding Low Carbon Steel Pipe." No other means of assembly may be used without approval. Steel well casing pipe to be assembled with welded joints shall have beveled ends. The weld shall fill the bevel. The department recommends that a minimum of 2 welding passes be made for any pipe having a diameter larger than 7 inch outside diameter.

(3) THERMOPLASTIC WELL CASING PIPE.

(a) Pipe and material specifications:
1. Thermoplastic well casing pipe and couplings shall be new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) material produced to and meeting the ASTM F 480 standard and shall have a standard dimension ratio (SDR) of 21, 17 or 13.5. Styrene-rubber thermoplastic well casing pipe, including ASTM F 480 may not be used.

2. The nominal well casing pipe diameter shall be at least 4 inches.

3. The thermoplastic well casing pipe, pipe couplings, cement, primer and other components used shall be approved for well casing pipe in potable water supplies by the NSF Standard Number 14 as it relates to well casing pipe, or an approved equivalent organization. Approval of alternate organizations shall be based on demonstration of unbiased and appropriate testing methods at least as stringent as NSF methods.

4. The well and heat exchange drillhole casing pipe shall be marked in accordance with the ASTM F 480 specification and this section. The pipe shall be marked at least every 5 feet showing the nominal size; standard dimension ratio or schedule number; type of material; the wording - "well casing" - followed by impact classification; designation "ASTM F 480" including year of issue of the standard with which the well casing pipe complies; manufacturer's name or trademark; manufacturer's code for resin manufacture, lot number and date of manufacture; and the NSF-WC designation or other approved laboratory's seal or mark.

5. Prior to use the thermoplastic well casing pipe shall be inspected for defects. Pipe with defects shall not be used for permanent well casing pipe.

6. The thermoplastic pipe shall be assembled with either flush-threaded joints, integral-bell, solvent-cemented joints or one-piece solvent cemented couplings in a manner according to the specifications in ASTM F 480. A permanent tag bearing the message "plastic well casing" shall be attached to the top of the well casing pipe, the full pitless unit, or the riser pipe extending up from a short-model pitless unit.

7. When thermoplastic well casing pipe is extended above the depth of the buried pump discharge pipe, the thermoplastic pipe shall be contained in a pump house or in a oversized steel pipe extending to the top of the thermoplastic pipe.

8. The listed ASTM and NSF standards are available for inspection at the offices of the department of natural resources, the secretary of state and the legislative reference bureau, and may be obtained for personal use from the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 and from the National Sanitation Foundation Testing Laboratories, Inc.; P.O. Box 1468, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

TABLE V

MINIMUM STEEL WELL CASING PIPE AND COUPLING WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS

WELL CASING PIPE

REAMED & DRIFTED COUPLINGS

Size

Weight in Pounds per Foot

Thickness In Inches

Diameter In Inches

Diameter & Length

Diameter In inches

Threaded & Coupled Potable Hi Caps, Low Schools & Caps WWTP's

Plain End Potable Hi Caps, Low Schools, & Caps WWTP's

Potable

Hi Caps,

Schools &

WWTP's

External

Internal

External

Diameter

Inches

Length In Inches

1

1.70

1.68

.133

1.315

1.049

1.576

2-5/8

1-1/4

2.30

2.27

.140

1.660

1.380

1.900

2-3/4

1-1/2

2.75

2.72

.145

1.900

1.610

2.200

2-3/4

2

3.75

3.65

.154

2.375

2.067

2.750

2-7/8

2-1/2

5.90

5.79

.203

2.875

2.469

3.250

3-15/16

3

7.70

7.58

.216

3.500

3.068

4.000

4-1/16

3-1/2

9.25

9.11

.226

4.000

3.548

4.625

4-3/16

4

11.00

10.79

.237

4.500

4.026

5.200

4-5/16

5

15.00

14.62

.258

5.563

5.047

6.296

4-1/2

6

19.45

18.97

.280

6.625

6.065

7.390

4-11/16

6-5/8 OD

20.00

19.49

.288

6.625

6.049

7.390

4-11/16

7 OD

23.00

22.63

.317

7.000

6.366

7.657

4-11/16

8

25.55

29.35

24.70

28.55

.277

0.322

8.625

8.071

9.625

5-1/16

10

35.75

41.85

34.25

40.48

.307

0.365

10.750

10.136

11.750

5-9/16

12

45.45

51.15

43.77

49.56

.330

0.375

12.750

12.090

14.000

5-15/16

14 OD

57.00

54.57

.375

14.000

13.250

15.000

6-3/8

16 OD

65.30

62.58

.375

16.000

15.250

17.000

6-3/4

18 OD

73.00

70.59

.375

18.000

17.250

19.000

7-1/8

20 OD

81.00

78.60

.375

20.000

19.250

21.000

7-5/8

22 OD 24 OD

114.81 125.49

.500 .500

22.000 24.000

21.000 23.000

The requirements for the installation of pitless adapters, pitless units or above-ground discharges for wells constructed with thermoplastic well casing pipe are in s. NR 812.31(4).

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wisconsin may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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